Tasks before Indian Foreign Policy

India is contesting elections for the non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for a two-year term, 2011–12. If elected, it will return to the Security Council after a gap of 18 years. During this long hiatus, the geopolitical environment in the world has changed dramatically. As a member of the UNSC, India will be called upon to deliberate over a host of new issues and threats to international security. This in itself will be a challenge for the diplomats as Indian foreign policy pronouncements usually eschew expressing opinion on issues not directly related to India’s concerns.